Can washer and sterilizer



Nov. s, 1927.

l H. NYSTUEN CAN WSHER AND STERILIZER Filed OCL. l, 1925 cri F lizing and drying the can.

Patented Nov.. 8, 192i?.

` initieel HENRY NYS'E'UET, OF HANCOCK, MINNESOTA.

CAN WASHER AND STERILEZER.

Application filed @ctober This invention relates to an improvement in can washers and sterilizers; and it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which may be constructed and operated at a low cost, and adaptable for use in communities where the milk and cream are shipped from a central station.

The 'invention consists of a rotary supw port for an inverted milk or cream can; a

combined hot water and air heater, which is asociated with the support for the can by a suitable piping for delivering successively under pressure hot water7 vapor and hot to the can being treated, for washing, steri- The invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combination of parts which will be hereinafter described.

In the acompanying drawings:

Figurel is a view partly in vertical seetion and in elevation of the apparatus,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a spring controlled valve carriedl by the piston.

In the drawings, the heater 10 is provided with a central horizontal partition 11, dividing the heater into a boiler or hot water chamber 12,- and a combustion chamber 13. The water in the boiler or chamber 12 may be connected with a suitable water supply and is heated by an oil burner 141-.

A drum 15 is located in the chamber 12 and supported on the partition 11. The bottorn of the drum 1.5 is open and coinmunicates with the chamber 13. A chimney 15 on the burner 14C, of a smaller diameter than the drum, preferably extends into the lower end of the drum for conducting` the heated air to the drum. iConnected to the upper end of the drum is a pipe 16 through which the heated air is discharged. A screen 16 is tted into the pipe at its lower end where the pipe joins the drum for preventing soot and other foreign matter entering the pipe. A valve 2O is applied tothe pipe 16 for controlling the discharge of heated air therethrough.

The boiler or water chamber 12 is preferably only partially lilled with water to a level indicated by the line 17 for forming a chamber above the water level for theaccumulation of heated vapor that may be drawn from the boiler by a pipe 18, controlled 'by a valve 19.

A pipe 21 for withdrawing the hot water from the boiler or chamber 12, is provided 1, i925. serial no. 59,936.

with a valve 22 for controlling the discharge of water from the chamber 13. A pipe 23 to which the pipes 16 and 18 are connected is joined to the pipe 21 by a T-coupling 24, and is provided with a check valve 25 near its lower end to prevent the return of any liquid or gas to the pipes 16 and 13.

Mounted on the pedestal 26 is a pump cylinder 27 in which is mounted a reciprocating piston or plunger v23. lThe piston 28 is provided with a piston rod 29 having rack teeth 29 thereon that mesh with a gear 30, mounted on the shaft 31 journaled on the upper end of the cylinder 27.

Extending through the piston rodi 29 is a valve stem 50, having a valve 51 at the lower end thereof and seated on the face of the piston 28. rThe valve stem extends through the upper end of the piston and is provided with a knob 52 for actuating the valve 51. A spring 53 is interposed between the upper end of the piston rod 29 and knob 52 for normally holding the valve 51 seated. A pedestal 32 has mounted thereon a cylinder 33; supported on the upper end of the cylinder 33 is a `gear housing 3e. A can support or receptacle 35 is rotatablymounted on the gear housing 311-. An opening 37 is formed in the bottom of the receptacle 35 forming communication with the gear housing 3a and cylinder 33. An outlet spout 38 is connected to the upper end of the pedestal 32 or bottom of the cylinder 33l for carrying off the water dischargedfrom the receptacle A beveled ring gear 39 is connected to the bottom of the receptacle 357 around the opening 37 and is located beneath an annular flange L10, formed on the gear housing for securely holding the receptacle in place. A bevel gear L11 mounted on the shaft 31 meshes with the ring 39 so that upon the rotation of the shaft 31 by the handle `or crank 4-2 the piston 28 is operated and the receptaclev35 rotated.

A pipe 13' connected to the Twcoupling2e is provided with a check valve 421,* and leads to the pedestal 26 and bottom of the pump cylinder 27, for conducting water, hot air or vapor to the cylinder. Another pipe 4:5 leads from the opposite side ofthe pedestal 26 and cylinder 27 to the pedestal 32 `and upwardly through the cylinder 33 and receptacle 35. The pipe 15 extends at a sufficient elevation above the receptacle 35 to discharge the water, air or vapor into the inverted can 46 supported in the receptacle 35. A suitable nozzle 47 is applied to the end of the pipe for spraying the cleansing agent into the can. A check valve 48 is applied tothe pipe beneath the nozzle 47 so that the agent delivered to the can will not be drawn back into the pipe upon the reverse operation of the piston 28.

' A can to be washed and sterilized is inverted and placed in the receptacle 35, the valve 22 opened allowing hot water to be drawn into the cylinder 27 upon the rotation of the crank 42, raising the piston in the cylinder 27. After sufficient water has been drawn into the cylinder the crank 42 is operated, reversing the direction of movement of the piston 28 causing the hot water to be conducted through the pipe 45 and discharged through the nozzle 47 for washing the can 46. During the movement of the piston 28 in either direction, the can 46 and receptacle 35 are given a rotation in on-e direction and then in reverse, so that the inner surfaoevof the can in its rotation is being subjected to sprays of water for cleansing. The check valve 44 prevents the water from returning to the boiler or chamber 12 when it is being ejected from the cylinder 27 Upon the completion of this operation the operator closes valve 22, and opens valve 19, thereby allowing the hot vapor `in the boiler to be delivered to the can 46. The hot vapor is delivered to the pump cylinder 27 through the pipes 23 and 43. When this operation has been performed valve 19 is closed and valve 20 is opened for delivering hot air to the can uponY the operation 'of the pump for drying the can.

In operating the pump, it may be advisable to control the admission of water or other agent to the cylinder 27, and under such conditions, the operator will press down the knob 52 unseating the valve 51, thereby admitting air to the cylinder through the piston and releasing the suction of the piston in drawing the cleansing agent into the cylinder 27. When the piston 28 is moved to eject the water the valve 5l is again closed and the air admitted into kthe Vcylinder will be compressed in forcing the water from the cylinder with greater force.

' From the foregoing it will be seen that an apparatus has been provided for washing a can subjecting it to hot vapor after washing, and then drying the same by hot'air. There are three independent operations wherein the same apparatus is employed and the different agents for performing the function of Wash ing, sterilizing and drying may be delivered independently. j

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a can washing and sterilizing apparatus, the combination of a rotary can receptacle, a pump,means for conducting a cleansing agent 'from the pump to the can, and means connected to the can receptacle and pump for simultaneously actuating the pump and can receptacle.

2. In a can washing and sterilizing apparatus, the combination of a hollow support, a receptacle rotatably mounted on the support for receiving an inverted can to be cleansed, said receptacle having an opening for forming a discharge passage to the hollow support, means for conducting cleansing and drying agents to the can, and means for delivering the cleansing and drying agents to the can receptacle through the conducting means under pressure, said means being oonnected to the can receptacle for rotating the receptacle.

3. In a can washing and sterilizing apparatus, the combination of a support, a receptacle rotatably mounted on the support, a gear connected to the receptacle, .a pump cylinder and a piston therefor, a power shaft having a gear meshing` with the receptacle gear, and means on the shaft for actuating the piston, whereby upon the operation of the power shaft the receptacle will be rotated and the piston reciprocated,and means connected to the pump for delivering a cleansing agent to the can carried by the receptacle. y v

4. In a can washing machine, the combination of a rotary can receptacle, a pump consisting of a cylinder and a reciprocating piston, a pipe connected to the pump cylinder extending through the can receptacle for delivering a cleansing agent to a can carried by the receptacle, and means connected to the can receptacle and tothe piston for rotating the can receptacle and reciprocating the piston, andimparting a rotary movement to the can receptacle in'one direction on a stroke of the piston and a reverse movement to the can receptacle on the return stroke of the piston.

HENRY NYSTUEN, 

